While there were early signs of something brewing between Future and Young Thug, their collaborative effort Super Slimey arrived as a surprise late last week, and showcased what these two Atlanta rap stars could cook up in the studio when working on a full-length collaborative project, rather than the features they've been blessing each other with for years.
Southside has been behind many of the beats for both rappers, and this go-around was no different. He and his team of producers, 808 Mafia, were the main architects behind the project, contributing to seven of the 13 songs. And, according to Southside, Future and crew were aiming for excellence on Super Slimey.
"I told Future one day that him and Thugger could make an album like Watch The Throne," Southside says. "He called me like two weeks ago and was like, “Remember when you told me this album could be like Watch The Throne?' and I was like yeah, I told you it was going to be that."
Complex spoke with Southside about his work on Super Slimey, their recording sessions for the project, and what they plan to do with the hundreds of songs that didn't make the initial cut.
Future and Thug are known for their quick work ethic. What was it like watching them work together on Super Slimey?
I've been seeing that since I made “Danny Glover” for Thug, the track that popped Thug's career off. So I have been seeing both of these boys work for the last six or seven years, so it’s nothing new to me, it’s just getting better now.
As you said you've been working with Thug and Future for years. Did you approach these sessions differently or was this business as usual?
Nah, it’s not even business because we are a family, man. Freeband Gang, we a family. YSL, we a family. 808 Mafia, we a family. We all on the same page; that’s like me going to meet my brother and sister in the studio, you get what I’m saying? It’s like me going to meet one of my siblings in the studio. We are really family. I don’t look at it as work, I just go to have a good time, have a good vibe, and hopefully make good music.
When would you say they officially started working on the project?
It has no official timetable because we don’t work like that. Like we don’t do any of Future music like that, no official start date, we just go to the studio and have fun, and after we have made six or 700 songs we will pick the album. Literally. People think we have this process and we don’t do all of that.
You said you made hundreds of songs, what was it about these 13 songs that made you say, “This was the final product”?
Honestly, these aren’t even the hardest 13 songs, this is just like a teaser. They have some very very epic music together.
“Patek Water” is probably the early fan favorite so far, and Offset’s verse is a clear standout. What was your reaction when you first heard it?
Actually my little brother DY, who is signed to 808 Mafia, he called when they did it. We sampled one of his boys named Bricks, and I made the beat one night just messing around in the studio and he went to the studio with Future when I went home. He called me and was like, “Offset, Future, and Thug just did a song and it’s going to be a big hit.” I never heard the song until it came out. We were recording at least up until three days before it dropped. We were recording so much music that we didn’t get to listen to all of the old stuff.
we just go to the studio and have fun, and after we have made six or 700 songs we will pick the album.
Did anybody else from Migos also participate in this process or did you guys just make that one call to Offset to come in the studio?
Nah, they actually went to the club and after the club [Offset] came to the studio and did the song with them. Everything we do is real organic, it’s like we all hang together, we all are friends and knew each other when we were broke.
You brought up the comparisons to Watch the Throne, and there are also comparisons to What a Time to Be Alive. You have a special involvement because you were involved with both projects. Can you compare the process of Super Slimey and What a Time to Be Alive being put together?
With What a time to Be Alive it was just me and Metro, so me and Metro had to do a lot of stuff. On this album it was 808 Mafia, me and my boys. DY is on the album, Fuse is on the album, TM88, Tre Pounds, four of my producers produced on the album, so I feel like I accomplished a lot with this album, way more than I did before because I put my company on with this album.
On a more somber note, Seth Firkins recently passed away and I know you guys worked with him frequently. On “4 Da Gang,” Future gives him a shout-out. Can you tell me about his influence on this project?
Man, everything I’m doing right now for music. I have been working in the same studio that Seth loved for the past month. I’m doing everything I’m doing for Seth, so is Future, and so is Thug. Everything we are doing is for Seth, because he was like the third piece of our vibe that was taken away from us. Seth had a major play in this because a lot of these songs were recorded by him. Seth is still in our hearts and he’s our drive right now.
So if you have hundreds of songs and this is just a teaser, when can we expect Super Slimey 2?
Man, I don’t even know, it might not even be a Super Slimey 2, it might be What a Slime to Be Alive up next. You never know, we are with the element of surprise. We just keep working and whatever comes out next comes out next.
